Talent for the Game

1991
PG
1h 31m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Virgil Sweet is on the verge of losing his job as a talent scout with the California Angels when he discovers Sammy Bodeen, a country boy with no pro ball experience, but with a pitching arm... Read allVirgil Sweet is on the verge of losing his job as a talent scout with the California Angels when he discovers Sammy Bodeen, a country boy with no pro ball experience, but with a pitching arm no one has seen the like of.Virgil Sweet is on the verge of losing his job as a talent scout with the California Angels when he discovers Sammy Bodeen, a country boy with no pro ball experience, but with a pitching arm no one has seen the like of.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.0/10

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Trivia
When Virgil's car breaks down, he is listening to a Red Sox spring training game. The play-by-play is being done by Chuck Thompson, Baseball Hall Of Fame broadcaster for the Baltimore Orioles.

Goofs
In the scene in the car just before it overheats, the camera can be seen reflected in the passenger side window.

Quotes
Virgil Sweet: If you want something, sometimes you've got to take a risk. And if you really want something, then you've got to be willing to risk everything.

Soundtracks
Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu
Written by Huey P. Smith
Performed by Johnny Rivers

User reviews14

Review

Featured review

6/10

starts off well but can't go the distance

What stood out for me was the first half of the film, which has collected a number of apocryphal baseball scouting stories (read "Prophet of the Sandlots" and "Dollar Sign on the Muscle" where some of them appear in print). Edward James Olmos is quietly effective as veteran scout Virgil Sweet, traveling across the country evaluating prospects in an assortment of the usual and unusual places. But the story becomes formulaic as Sweet finds the Holy Grail of scouting: a heretofore unknown pitcher with all the tools to become a superstar in the big leagues. Although Sweet is employed by the Anaheim Angels, the ending is all Hollywood. While not in the pantheon of great baseball movies, it is an enjoyable way to spend 90 minutes.